Continental Jurassic of peninsular India-A riddle

Continental Jurassic of peninsular India- A floristic and

stratigraphic riddle

A.RAJANIKANTH AND CH.CHINNAPPABIRBAL SAHNI INSTITUTE OF PALAEOBOTANY

53 UNIVERSITY ROADLUCKNOW 226 007 U.P. INDIA

[email protected]

Jurassic –Jaipur 2014

/Hartala

CONVENTIONAL CORRELATION CHART OF INDIAN GONDWANA FORMATIONS


(After Mukhopadhyay et al. 2010)

CORRELATION OF INDIAN GONDWANA FORMATIONS PROPOSED RECENTLY


/Hartala

Terrigenous facies of peninsular India initiated by a glacigene episode and culminated by a lithologic hiatus is grouped under Gondwana Super Group (Venkatachal et al 1993). These Post-Gondwana deposits (Kota, Dubrajpur, Lathi, Hartala) are invariably associated with Ptilophyllum Flora and have been variously assigned Early-Middle-Late Jurassic- Early Cretaceous ages (Feistmantel 1887, Fox 1931, Spath 1933, Arkel 1956, Sastry et al 1979, Datta et al 1983, Banerji 1990, Mitra 1993, Sen Gupta 1994, Rajanikanth, et al 2000, Lakshminarayana 2002, Vijaya and Prasad 2001, Pandey and Choudhary 2007, Mukhopadhyay et al 2010).

Interestingly the age reassignment of Rajmahal Basalt (Mc Dougall and Mc Elhinny 1970) opened a new paradigm of post-Gondwanan floristics and thus litho-units comprising Ptilophyllum Flora distributed in various intra-peri –cratonic Indian sedimentary basins are suggestive of Early Cretaceous age affinity.

Consequently traditional Jurassic age connotation to Ptilophyllum Flora (Upper Godwana) shifted to an Early Cretaceous exemplar. This view supported a non-deposition phase (hiatus/erosion) of Jurassic litho-units in peninsular India (Venkatachala & Maheswari 1991).

Historical view-point


Status of non-marine Jurassic litho- units distributed in Pranhita-Godavari/Krishna- Godavari, South Rewa, Jaisamer and Rajmahal basins has been a subject of scientific inquiry due to controversial age assignments

Macro-Micro-Palaeobotany of Kota (Pranhita-Godavari/Krishna-Godavari-Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh), Hartala/Bandhogarh (South Rewa- Madhya Pradesh), Lathi (Jaisalmer-Rajashtan) and Dubrajpur (Rajmal-Bihar/Jharkhand/West Bengal) litho units reflect stratigraphic, phytogeographic and phytoevolutionary inferences and bear a significant bearing in understanding non-marine Jurassic.

Status of non-marine Jurassic


Hartala Formation (South Rewa Basin)

The plant fossil assemblage of Hartala Formation developed near Hartala Village, Shahdol District, Madhyapradesh.

The Hartala Formation overlies the Tiki Formation.

The plant fossils are prserved in white or pinkish white shales (Pal 1984)

The macro- and micro- palaeobotanical evidences are poorly/hardly known and are represented by following plant taxa - Pagiophyllum, Brachyphyllum, ?Cladophlebis and cone like structures.


1. Desmodium sp.

2. Cone like structure

3. Brachyphyllum sp.

4. ?Cladophlebis sp.

5. Pagiophyllum sp.2

1 4

3

5

Macro-Palaeobotany -Hartala Formation (South Rewa Basin)

Micro palaeobotanical evidences are not known.Jurassic –Jaipur 2014

Macro-palaeobotanical data of the Lathi Formation (Jaisalmer Basin) is represented by conifer wood taxa and bennettitales hardly reflect chronological inferences (Bonde 2010, Sharam et al 2002).

Micro-palaeobotanical data is suggestive of dominance of gymnosperms followed by pteridophytes (Srivastava1966).

Available data is insufficient for stratigraphic and age conclusions

Lathi Formation (Jaisalmer Basin)

Leaves:Equisetites sp.Pterophyllum sp.Ptilophyllum acutifolium.Woods:Coniferous woodPrepodocarpoxylon gregussii


The Dubrajpur (Rajmahal Basin) macro-palaeobotanical data consist of pteridophytes, bennettitales, cycadales, pteridosperms and conifers in order of abundance (Banerji 1990). Significant floral components are suggestive of an Early Cretaceous affinity.

On the other hand micro-palaeobotanical data (sub-surface) exhibit dominance of pteridophytes followed by gymnosperms and bryophytes and suggestive of Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age (Vijaya & Roy 2000, Tripathi 2000). The later age connotation seems rational since assemblage zones are comparable with other micro-palaeobotanical evidences distributed in various intra-peri-cratonic early Cretaceous basins.

Dubrajpur Formation (Rajmahal Basin)


Leaves:Cladophlebis indicaCladophlebis sp.Coniopteris sp.Culcitites madagascariensisGleichenites gleichenoidesMarattiopsis sp.Microphyllopteris sp.Onychiopsis sp.Pecopteris sp.Sphenopteris sp.Thinnfeldia khatangiensisThinnfeldia sp.Ctenis rajmahalensisMacrotaeniopteris lataNilssonia princepsNilssonia sp.Taeniopteris crenataTaeniopteris cf. oldhamiiTaeniopteris sp.

Otozamites sp.Pterophyllum distansP. distansP. footeanumPterophyllum sp.Ptilophyllum acutifoliumP. cutchenseWilliamsonia sp.Elatocladus confertaPagiophyllum sp.

Macro-Palaeobotany of Dubrajpur Formation


2

3

7

5

1 6

4

1. Ptilophyllum cutchense

2. Pagiophyllum sp.

3. Onychiopsis sp.

4. Williamsonia sp.

5. Pterophyllum distans

6. Taeniopteris cf. oldhamii

7. Nilssonia sp.

Macro-Palaeobotany -Dubrajpur Formation


2

1 54

3

1. Ctenis rajmahalensis

2. Cladophlebis indica

3. Ptilophyllum acutifolium

4. Nilssonia sp.




765

4321


2. Culcitites madagascarensis

3. Ptilophyllum acutifolium

4. Culcitites madagascarensis

5. Williamsonia sp. (distal part)

6. Taeniopteris sp.

7. Pterophyllum cf. footeanum

(After Banerji 1990)



Group Formation Lithology AgeDeccan Traps

Gangapur/Chikiala Coarse ferruginous sandstone, greywhite-pinkish mudstone and silty mudstone

early Cretaceous

………………………………Unconformity…………………………….

Upper Gondwana

Kota Upper: Sandstone, siltstone and claystoneMiddle: LimestoneLower: Conglomeratic sandstone, siltstone trough cross stratified sandstone

Jurassic ?

Dharmaram Coarse sandstone and red clays

Late late Triassic

Maleri Red clays, fine-medium sandstone and lime pellet rocks

Early late Triassic

Bhimaram Ferruginous/calcareous sandstone, minor red clays

Late middle Triassic

Yerrapalli Red and violet clays with sandstone and lime pellet rocks

Early middle Triassic

Kota Formation (Pranhita-Godavari Graben)


Kota Formation-Pranhita-Godavari Graben- historical perspectve

• PALAEOBOTANYBillimoria 1948Rao & Shah 1956Biradar& Mahabale 1978Rajanikanth & Sukh-Dev

1989Srinivasa Rao et al 1979Lakshminarayana 1991

• PALYNOLOGYPrabhakar 1989Vijaya & Prasad 2001

• CHAROPHYTESBhattacharya et al 1994Feist et al 1991

• DINOFLAGELLATESBhattacharya 1981

FISHESEgerton 1851Egerton 1854Jain 1959Jain 1973Jain 1974Jain 1980Jain1983Yadagiri & Prasad 1977Yadagiri et al 19980OSTRACODSGovindan 1975Misra & Satsangi 1979Mallikarjun et al 2007MAMMALS Datta 1981Yadagiri 1984Datta &Das 1996Prasad & Manhas 1997Prasad & Manhas 2001Datta et al 1978

GEOLOGYKing W 1881Kutty 1968Robinson 1970Sen Gupta 1970Rudra 1982Bandopadhyay & Rudra 1985Raiverman 1986Raju PSR 1986Kutty et al 1987Yadagiri& Rao 1987Lakshminarayana &Murthi 1990Biswas et al 1994Lakshminarayana 1998Dasgupta 1998Das DP et al 2003Biswas SK 2003Dasgupta&Jain2007


Geological map of the Pranhita-Godavari Graben


Fossiliferous section at Kota Fornation


1.Cladophlebis indica

2. Sphenopteris sp.

3.Ptilophyllum acutifolium

4. Brachyphyllum sp.

5. Unknown fossil

6. Pagiophyllum perigrianum

7. Sphenopteris sp.

8. Pagiophyllum sp.

Macro-Palaobotany of Kota Formation

2

1

3

4 5

6

7

8


Petrified Wood sections of PodocarpoxylonJurassic –Jaipur 2014

Petrified Wood sections of Podocarpoxylon


SEM imeges of Bordered pits Jurassic –Jaipur 2014

Petrified Wood sections of Araucarioxylon


Organic matter from Kota Formation (cuticle, tracheids, pollen,micro algae etc.)Jurassic –Jaipur 2014

Leaves:Cladophlebis denticulataC. indicaC. reversaCladophlebis sp.Coniopteris hymenophylloidesEquisetites rajmahalensisHausmannia cf. buchiiSphenopteris sp.Cycadites sp.Podozamites sp.Pterophyllum fissumPtilophyllum acutifoliumP. cutchenseGingoites lobataElatocladus confertaE. PlanaE. jabalpurensisElatocladus sp.Pagiophyllum peregrinumPagiophyllum sp.

Woods:Araucarioxylon posampallienseA. pranhitaensisA. sahniiA. santalenseAraucarioxylon sp. Cupressinoxylon kotaenseGinkgoxylon dixitiiPodocarpoxylon

chandrapurenseP. chiturenseP. krauseliiP. rajmahalensePodocarpoxylon sp.Taxaceoxylon sahniiTaxaceoxylon sp.

Seeds:Araucarites cutchensisAraucarites sp.

Macro-Palaeobotany of Kota Formation


1. Callialasporites dampieri2. C. segmentatus3. C. triletus4. Contigisporites multimuratus5. Concavissimisporites

kutchensis6. Baculatisporites

comaumensis7. Contignisporites cooksoniae8. Duplexisporites

problematicus9. Regulatisporites sp.10. Lycopodiacidites dettmannae11.cf. Crybelosporites stylosus12. Callialasporites trilobatus13. Podosporites tripakshi14. Klukisporites venkatachalae15. Murospora florida16. Cooksonites rajmahalensis17. Crybelosporites punctatus18.cf. Appendicisporites sp.19. Coptospora kutchensis20.cf. Coptospora

microgranulosa21.cf. Triporoletes sp.

Micro-Palaeobotany of Kota Formation

(after Vijaya & Prasad 2001)Jurassic –Jaipur 2014

Aequitriradites sp.cf. Appendicisporites sp.Araucariacites cooksoniiCicatricosisporites hughesiiC. ludbrookiiCingutriletes clavusConcavissimisporites penolaensisCooksonites variabilisC. rajmahalensisCoptospora microgranulosaC. verrucosa

Crybelosporites stylosusC. punctatuscf. Dictyotosporites complexIschyosporites marburgensisLeptolepidites verrucatusLycopodiacidites dettmannaeMicrofoveolatosporis atbertonensisTriletes tuberculiformisTrilobosporites purverulentusTriporoletes simplex

Early Cretaceous micro-flora form Kota Formation:

(After Vijaya & Prasad 2001)


KOTA LATHI HARTALADUBRAJPUR0

5

10

15

20

25

30

PTP

PTS

CYD

BEN

GNG

CON

BEN: BENNETTITALES PTP: PTERIDOPHYTES GNG: GINKGOALES PTS: PTERIDOSPERMALES CON: CONIFERALES CYD: CYCADALES

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT- MACRO-PALAEOBOTANY


KOTA LATHI HARTALA DUBRAJPUR0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

BRYPTPGYM

BRY: BRYOPHYTES PTP: PTERIDOPHYTESGYM: GYMNOSPERMS

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENTMICRO-PALAEOBOTANY


Trace fossilsInsect t wings Nesting

sites

Estherids

ASSOCIATED ANIMAL FOSSILSKOTA FORMATION


Lepidotus

Fish scales


Age of the Kota Formation• The age of the Kota Formation was assigned on the

basis of fishes, reptiles, ostracodes, early mammals and macro-micro palaeobotanical evidences. Different authors expressed different views based on their observations.

Early Jurassic• Jain (1973, 1983) proposed an Early Jurassic age

based on the two species of semionotid fishes – Paradapedium egertoni and Tetragonolepis oldhami and other fish evidences comparable with the Upper Liassic of Germany. Later workers followed this age connotation (Yadagiri and Prasad,1977), though the fishes reported occur from Triassic to Upper Jurassic. Jain (1974) reported a pterosaur and assigned early Jurassic age though they are not as such reliable for age determination.

• Feist et al., (1991) reported members of Characeae namely Aclistochara cf. jonesi from the Kota Formation and assigned an Early Jurassic age despite its similarity with A. jonesi described from the Upper Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of Colorado and Wyoming, USA (Peck 1957) and China (Liu 1982)


Middle Jurassic • Based on ostracods such as Darwinula cf.

sarytirmenensis, ? Limnocythera sp. and Timiriasevia digitalis Govindan (1975) proposed Middle Jurassic age to the Kota Formation. How ever T. digitalis is a new species not known from any other Jurassic sections and staus of Limnocythera is not definite. More over The stratigraphic range of D. sarytirmenensis extends from Early to Late Jurassic ( Lucas 1994, Meizhen 1984, Hao, Su & Li 1983).

• Later Misra and Satsangi (1979) proposed Middle Jurassic age on ostracod evidences.

Age of the Kota Formation


Early Cretaceous • Prasad and Manhas (2001) reported a triconodont –Dyskritodon from the Kota Formation. This genus is an important chronostratigraphic fossil mammal also known from the Early Cretaceous, Anoual locality of Morocco(Sigogneau-Russell 1995). • Vijaya and Prasad (2001) worked out the Micro-Palaeobotany of the Kota Formation and recoverd Early Cretaceous palynomorphs and supported Upper Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age.• Macropalaeobotanical evidences in toto are closely comparable with the Rajmahal Flora and indicate an age younger than Middle Jurassic. Since Rajmahal Flora indicate an Early Cretaceous age, stratigraphic age of Kota Formation needs revision. • More over an unconformity between Kota and Gangapur formations in the Pranhita- Godavari Graben and further extension of Kota Formation in the Krishna-Godavari (overlain by the Raghavapuram Formation) further suggest an younger age.

Age of the Kota Formation


A critical reassessment of lithologic, floral and and faunal data of continental ?Jurassic in India is suggested. The problem of continental Jurassic in India should be reassessed in the light of occurrence of cosmopolitan taxa (flora and fauna).Further wide historical geographic distribution of fauna and flora, possibility of facies variants interpreted as different chronological units may be looked in to.Macro-Micro palaeobotanical evidences found in Jurassic litho units of continents adjoining India –Antarctica/Australia/ Africa too are subjected to age reassignments (Hill 1994, Philippe et al 2004, Gee 1987, Jefferson 1982, Bose et al 2000).

CONCLUSIONS


Thank you

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Prof. SUNIL BAJPAI, DIRECTOR BSIP

ORGANIZERS, JURASSIC 2014

Continental Jurassic of peninsular India-A riddle

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